


Parlay

by ManiManTheWriter



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Necromancy, So be warned, This is Bad, child necromancy, do not read this if you cant handle it, like everyone who can die will, like im dead serious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2019-04-17 19:03:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14195682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManiManTheWriter/pseuds/ManiManTheWriter
Summary: Taako did something horrible and ends up bringing Kravitz into parlay.





	1. Chapter 1

Kravitz found himself in an odd room, and in the room with him was Taako. Some part of him wanted to do his job, but the other part wanted to just reach out to his husband and comfort him.

“Do you know what this is babe?”

“No, I can’t say that I do.”

“This is Parlay. Here we talk and you’re free to leave at any time, but you have to kill me if you want to leave. This is something Merle learned way back when and he taught it to all of us. I didn’t ever want to use it but here we are my man.”

“Well I’m not killing you so I guess we’ll have to talk this out won’t we?”

“Until we get to some kind of middle ground.”

The two stare at each other for a good long while, not knowing what to say. What could they say? They were both hurting for many reasons, all the same though. If they could find that middle ground then they could both walk away.

“Taako… You know what you did was wrong… Don’t you?”

“Of course I fucking do, but I had no choice. I couldn’t… I won’t-” Taako shakes his head.

“Taako I loved him too but you can’t do something like that! You know what I do! You had to know who would be coming after you. Lup was having such a hard time and needed Barry to keep her intact, so that left me.”

“I didn’t want it to be you, but here we are. I wouldn’t want to put this on Lulu or Barry either. I didn’t want to be a part of it! But I am not giving him up! It’s too soon!”

Kravitz moves towards Taako, wanting to comfort him. He knew all too well it was too soon, but what could he do? He was a reaper, he couldn’t change how the flow of life and death worked. He just had to take souls and help them get to the astral plane. That was his job.

“Don’t. Don’t fucking come near me right now Kravitz. You and your damn queen are on the top of my shitlist and I will not hesitate to burn all of my spell slots on you.”

“Love please-”

“Now is not the time for pet names Kravitz! Angus is dead!”

Kravitz flinches a bit and backs up.

“You tried to bring him back Taako… You know that’s not how that works.”

“He was thirteen! He didn’t even get a chance to live yet! That’s not fair!”

“Death doesn’t care about fair Taako.”

“Yeah, I know you don’t.”

That was a harsh blow. Yeah he was called Death, but he himself wanted things to be fair. A thirteen year old boy being killed in the street was in no way fair. Bringing him back wasn’t fair either, that’s why it didn’t work.

“Taako, if I could bring him back for you I would. It hurts me too. Angus was our son and now he’s just gone. We have an empty hole in our lives where once there was a cheerful and bright boy. But he wouldn’t have wanted that.”

“You think I don’t know that?! I just… I wanted to say goodbye. Even you got that chance! I was the only one who didn’t get to say goodbye! Now I’ll never get that chance again. So fuck you.”

“Taako I’m sorry, I am, but trying to bring him back as a lich isn’t right! Just because it worked for Barry and Lup it doesn’t mean it would work for him! A lich has to consent to that change! Do you know what that did to him? It ruined his soul! You nearly destroyed him! Is that what you wanted?!”

“Of course it’s not! I wanted my fucking son back!” Taako shakes and covers his face. He’d just wanted Angus back. It hurt to know that he would be without his son for so long. His lifespan was too fucking long and it wasn’t fair. Why did humans die so soon?

“He hurt so much Taako. He was screaming and yet after it was over he was saying that he was sorry. Even then he was sorry! He shouldn’t have to be sorry for something you did!”

“Just fucking kill me already, get it over with. We both know what happens next.”

“Taako… I don’t want to do it.”

“Too bad!” Taako gets up and charges at Kravitz, ready to cast damn near any spell.

Kravitz reacted without thinking. He summoned his scythe and slashed, then froze. Taako stumbled back into his chair and smiles, then slumps. Before Kravitz can hurry over to Taako the parlay is broken. Kravitz hurries back to his Queen and finds Taako’s soul there in Her hands. He knew exactly what was about to happen.

“No! Please don’t do this!”

_ ‘Kravitz, you know this must be done. Nothing can change this.’ _

“Please my Queen. You know I wouldn’t ask of you normally, but he means so much to me. Don’t destroy him.”

_ ‘This must be done.’ _ With one easy move the Raven Queen snuffs out Taako’s soul. That was the punishment of those who dared to use necromancy on children.

Kravitz drops to his knees. His husband was gone forever and his son’s soul was so damaged that it might not ever be repaired. His still heart was broken beyond repair. What would he say to Lup and Barry. He’d hidden it from the both of them. Could he even say it? What would happen to them? Would they be able to keep themselves together?

It takes a few minutes, but carefully Kravitz finds his legs and cuts himself a portal to Lup and Barry’s house.

“Lup… Barry…”

The two find Kravitz in the living room and hurry over to help him sit. Lup is the first to speak up.

“Hey, what’s up? You look fucking awful bone man.”

“Taako… Oh Lup I’m so sorry. I couldn’t… There was nothing I could do.”

Lup takes a step back.

“What happened to my brother Kravitz?”

“He… He tried to bring back Angus with necromancy.”

Barry moves over to Lup and holds her steady as she reaches out to him.

“What else. I know that’s not all of it so fucking tell me now.”

“Babe please…”

“No! What happened to my brother Kravitz!”

“You know what happened… It’s the same thing that always happens to necromancers who deal with children.”

Lup shakes, her whole form shakes. Even Barry’s form was shaking. Lup tries her hardest to keep her form, but she just can’t. Her heart had been destroyed today and she couldn’t handle it. Barry knew it was going to happen and he let’s go, not wanting to be there without Lup.

What happens next can only be described as an explosion. An explosion that destroys the house and sends Kravitz flying. The two simply let themselves fall apart together. Lup knew she couldn’t live without Taako being there in some form and Barry knew he couldn’t live without Lup. It’s a big explosion of so many emotions that Kravitz could only look away. He didn’t feel like he should be able to witness something like that.

Now all of his family was gone. He had nothing left anymore. Everything he’d loved and cared about was gone. What could he do? There was nothing else he could do. His ears are ringing and he could kind of hear some yelling, but it takes some time before he realized the anguished scream was coming from his own throat.

His husband is gone.

His son is gone.

His sister-in-law is gone.

His brother-in-law is gone.

Everything he cared about was gone.

Everything hurt just so much. He shuts his eyes tightly, screaming and sobbing until his throat hurts. When he feels things around him change he can’t make himself get up. It just hurts too much.

_ ‘Kravitz, get up.’ _

“I can’t. They’re gone. They’re all gone.”

_ ‘I said get up.’ _

Kravitz feels himself move and stand before Her. He’d never thought she would actually do this to him. He knew she could dictate him, but she had told him that it would never happen.

“My Queen please.”

_ ‘Silence. You will do your job as you’re supposed to and from now on you will keep your emotions out of this. I let you have that other life because you continued to do your job, but now it’s gone and done. Get on with your job.’ _

“Y-yes my Queen.”

He had no volition of his own. It hurt to know that this was what was happening now. He hardly any time to grieve for his loved ones. Oh how it hurt. The hurt consumed him and he let it out on those he had to reap. It was the only way he had left to grieve. That was all he would ever have now until his mind let him forget the pain of his loss.

As time goes on Kravitz slowly forgets his old life and slowly gets back control of himself. By the time he gets total control he had forgotten all about the pain of his former life. He’d forgotten that life in general. Just like the world had forgotten about The Seven Birds and their story. It was all just legend at this point and not very well known legend. As it should be.


	2. Epilogue

The Raven Queen holds a damaged soul in her hands and keeps it close. She holds it close and keeps it there as it slowly heals. She knew it would take time and a lot of it, but she was patient. Death had to be after all. Once it’s healed she makes a body for this soul, and smiles at her newest reaper.

_ ‘Hello young one, do you know me?’ _

The young man nods and kneels.

_ ‘Good. You are a reaper now, and as such you will do any job I give you. In return you can have a free life. Do you understand?’ _

Another nod.

_ ‘Then go and explore. I will call you when you are needed.’ _

Quickly he calls his scythe and leaves, going to find someone. It takes some time, but eventually he finds who he was looking for, sitting in an open field. A field that had once been his home, his mind supplies. Slowly he walks over and stands in front of the other.

“Hello sir.”

 

Kravitz had gotten his will back and an apology from his Queen, and he’d given her his own apology. Most days though he always ended up in the same place. A place that had once been his home. The place where he’d lost the last of his family. It hurt to know that he would probably never have that again.

That thought never stopped him from coming though. It certainly didn’t stop him from finding an old knife and fixing it up. It didn’t stop him from buying some blocks of wood and learning to carve like one of his old friends. It didn’t stop him from carving little wizard hats, ducks, and magnifying glasses. The same three things over and over until he had them down, then onto other things. He just kept practicing and selling his carvings to get more wood. He kept one of each kind though. To remind him.

So when someone approached he simply kept carving. He wasn’t bothered by it at all. It was the words though that made him pause.

“Hello sir.”

Kravitz looks up quickly to see Angus McDonald, now a young man and a reaper. His soul had survived the damage.

“Sir, it’s rude to not say hello back.”

Before Angus can say anything else Kravitz gets up and pulls his son into a hug. He wasn’t alone anymore. Not all of his family was gone. He wouldn’t have to be alone any longer. Just those thoughts alone made him feel so much better than he had in a very long time. How could they not?

“Hello Angus. It’s so good to see you again. Oh I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you too dad.”

The two stand there, hugging each other and comforting each other without anymore words. Words were not needed here, not in this space. They just needed to keep holding each other. That’s all either of them wanted.

After they were both calm they sit together, pressed up against each other as Kravitz shows off his carvings to Angus. As they sit together Kravitz shows Angus how to carve something, starting with the duck since to him it was the easiest thing to carve.

 

As time goes on Angus and Kravitz always go back to their spot and carve together. After one too many times of getting rained on Kravitz comes back from a solo job to see Angus with a book and a bunch of materials.

“Angus?”

“Yeah?”

“What are you doing?”

“I’m gonna build us a house. I’m tired of the rain.”

“Would you like some help?”

“Of course.”

After both of them read the book they get to work, Kravitz going back from time to time to just check on something. By the time the house is done they’re proud of it. Until they come back after a job to find it strewn across the field. So they try again, this time supporting it better.

Once again the house is taken down, this time by a storm. So they add a foundation the next time around. This time the house stays put, and they’re happy with it. So they sit inside and carve, selling the extras they make but always keeping a copy for themselves. It’s not long until Angus is buying furniture with the extra money, stating he was tired of sitting on the floor.

This pattern continues on and on until they have an actual house standing around them. Kravitz wonders how it happened, but he comes to the conclusion that it was just Angus knowing what he needed. It’s not until Angus is talking with someone secretly that he starts to worry a bit. What if Angus got hurt like he did? He didn’t want that. He couldn’t let Angus go through that too. So he set a date to talk to Angus.

That day ended up being full of necromancers. When he came home he was tired, but he stopped dead in his tracks at the smell of the house. The whole place smelled amazing, but neither of them could cook very well. So he rushes into the kitchen.

Standing in front of the stove is an elf, wearing a large pointed hat, and smiling over at Angus. When Angus sees Kravitz he goes over and gently pulls him over to the table to sit.

“So Taako, you were saying you don’t really remember your life?”

“Yeah, it’s all kinda gone. I was told I did something pretty bad so I’d get it back slowly over time.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. My dad’s hear by the way, he looks like he could use some good food.”

Taako looks over and Kravitz feels himself melt all over again. They had a second chance.

“Yeah he does. I’m almost done here so just relax while Taako makes sure your belly gets filled.”

“Dad, Taako was saying he hasn’t got a place to live. We’ve got that extra bedroom so I offered it to him. It’s up to you though.”

“Y-yeah, of course he can have it. I don’t know why we built it in the first place.”

“I wanted the house to look right so having that room there made sense.”

“You guys built this on your own?”

“Yep! It took a few tries though. After that we kinda kept building on. The living room was the first room and we built from there.”

“That’s pretty cool. I’d never be able to do something like that. I’m only good at this.”

“Well if you want to learn to do something simple like carving I’m sure my dad could teach you. He taught me.”

“I’ll think about it. Now here comes food.”

Taako brings over three plates filled to the top with food and all three of them dig in, Kravitz sneaking glances at Taako. He promised himself that this time nothing would tear them apart. His family would stay together no matter what.

**Author's Note:**

> This took a while to write. I even forgot about it for a while. But I finished it with plenty of yelling from the snippets I would share.


End file.
